Official Participation Rules & Terms

The Athletic’s English Football Pick’em (“Competition”) is operated by The Athletic Media Company (“The Athletic”).

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

No purchase, payment, or subscription is necessary to enter or win the Competition. Purchasing a subscription or any other product or service from The Athletic will not improve a participant’s chances of winning.

ELIGIBILITY

The Competition is open to individuals aged 18 years or older at the time of entry who are legal residents of the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada (excluding Quebec), except where prohibited or restricted by law. Entry is open worldwide except where prohibited or restricted by applicable law. Current subscribers and non-subscribers of The Athletic are eligible to participate. Employees, contractors, agents, officers, directors, and representatives of The Athletic Media Company, its parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, and their immediate family members (spouse, parents, siblings, children) and household members are not eligible to participate or win prizes. Participants are responsible for ensuring that participation in the Competition is lawful in their country of residence.

COMPETITION PERIOD

The Competition begins on August 19, 2026 at 12:00 AM Eastern Time and ends following completion of the final applicable Premier League match of the 2026 – 2027 season, currently scheduled for May 30, 2027 (“Competition Period”), subject to match changes, postponements, cancellations, or other changes to the Premier League schedule.

The Competition consists of 38 Matchweeks corresponding to the 2026 – 2027 English Premier League season. The Athletic may adjust the timing or administration of a Matchweek if Premier League matches are rescheduled or otherwise changed. Predictions for a match must be submitted before that match’s scheduled start time. Predictions submitted after the applicable match has started will not be counted.

HOW TO ENTER

To participate, users must provide a valid email address or hold an existing account with The Athletic. Limit one account and one Competition entry profile per individual. Participants must submit their predictions before the applicable match cutoff time. The Athletic reserves the right to verify a participant’s eligibility and identity at any time.

COMPETITION MECHANICS

Each Matchweek, participants will predict the outcome of all ten (10) scheduled Premier League matches, selecting one of the following outcomes for each match:

• Home — the home team wins;
• Draw — the match ends in a draw; or
• Away — the away team wins.

If a Matchweek contains a match that is postponed, cancelled, abandoned, or otherwise not completed in accordance with The Athletic’s scoring rules, The Athletic may exclude that match from the applicable Matchweek or make another reasonable adjustment to preserve the integrity and fairness of the Competition.

SCORING

For each Matchweek:

1. Correct prediction: Each correct Home, Draw, or Away prediction is worth three (3) points.
2. Bonus point: A participant receives one (1) additional bonus point for each match in which the participant correctly predicts the result and The Athletic’s designated prediction for that match is incorrect.
3. Sweep bonus: A participant who correctly predicts all ten (10) Matchweek results receives an additional five (5) point Sweep bonus.

Accordingly, a participant may earn a maximum of forty-five (45) points in a Matchweek, assuming all ten predictions qualify for the one-point bonus and the Sweep bonus.

The Athletic will determine whether a prediction is correct based on the official result of the applicable Premier League match. For purposes of scoring, a match result is determined by the  result at the final whistle, including the conclusion of regulation, any applicable stoppage time, or the result of any applicable extra time or a penalty shootout, unless otherwise expressly by The Athletic for a particular match.

MATCHWEEK CO-CHAMPIONS

At the conclusion of each Matchweek, the participant or participants with the highest number of points for that Matchweek will be designated the Matchweek Champion(s). If two or more participants finish a Matchweek with the same highest score, all such participants will be Co-Champions. There will be no tiebreaker for determining the Matchweek Co-Champion. Being named a Matchweek Co-Champion does not by itself confer an annual prize. Annual prizes are determined based on cumulative Competition points as described below.

ANNUAL LEADERBOARD

A participant’s Competition score is the total number of points earned across all 38 Matchweeks, including all applicable correct-prediction points, bonus points, and Sweep bonuses. At the conclusion of the Competition Period, participants will be ranked according to their cumulative points. The top one hundred (100) finishers on the final annual leaderboard will each receive one (1) free one-year subscription to The Athletic, subject to the tie provisions below.

ANNUAL LEADERBOARD TIES

If participants are tied at a position that affects eligibility for an annual prize, The Athletic will not use the Matchweek Co-Champion no-tiebreak rule to resolve the annual leaderboard. Instead, if a tie occurs at the prize boundary, all participants tied for the applicable position will receive the annual subscription prize. For example, if participants are tied for 100th place, all participants tied for 100th place will receive the annual subscription prize. The Athletic may therefore award more than one hundred (100) annual prizes if necessary to honor the tie provisions above.

PRIZE DETAILS

One hundred (100) annual prize positions are available, subject to the annual leaderboard tie provisions above. The top one hundred (100) qualifying finishers will receive one (1) free one-year subscription to The Athletic. The approximate retail value (“ARV”) of each subscription is $60 USD. 

Prizes are non-transferable and may not be exchanged for cash, resold, or substituted by winners, except that The Athletic reserves the right to substitute a prize or prize component of equal or lesser value if necessary. Winners are solely responsible for any and all local, state, federal, or other applicable taxes associated with prize acceptance and use.

WINNER NOTIFICATION AND PRIZE FULFILLMENT

Annual prize winners will be notified using the email address associated with their Competition entry or The Athletic account.

Winners may be required to:

(i) confirm eligibility;
(ii) provide additional information reasonably required for prize fulfillment; and
(iii) complete and return any required prize-claim or eligibility documentation within the period specified by The Athletic.

If a winner cannot be contacted, fails to respond within ten (10) days, is found to be ineligible, or declines the prize, The Athletic may select an alternate winner or otherwise dispose of the prize as permitted by applicable law. Prizes will be delivered digitally where possible.

PARTICIPANT CONDUCT

Participants must not:

• use bots, scripts, automation, or other artificial means of entry;
• create or operate multiple accounts or Competition profiles;
• submit predictions on behalf of another person;
• manipulate, interfere with, or attempt to manipulate the Competition or its scoring;
• engage in fraudulent, abusive, unlawful, deceptive, or unsporting behavior; or
• otherwise attempt to obtain an unfair advantage over other participants.

The Athletic reserves the right to disqualify any participant who violates these Terms or whom The Athletic reasonably believes has attempted to compromise the integrity or fair operation of the Competition.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

The Athletic is not responsible for technical failures; interrupted or unavailable services; internet or connectivity issues; delayed, incomplete, inaccurate, or corrupted entries; system outages; platform malfunctions; or other technical problems that may affect participation or scoring. The Athletic may suspend, modify, or cancel the Competition, or any portion of it, where reasonably necessary to preserve fairness, integrity, security, or proper operation, including in response to technical failures, fraud, abuse, or circumstances beyond The Athletic’s reasonable control.

PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION

Personal information collected in connection with the Competition will be used to administer the Competition and otherwise processed in accordance with The New York Times Company’s’ Privacy Policy available at: https://help.nytimes.com/10940941449492-The-New-York-Times-Company-Privacy-Policy. Participants may exercise any applicable privacy rights in accordance with the Privacy Policy and applicable law.

UK/EU CONSUMER & PROMOTIONAL COMPLIANCE

This Competition is intended to be a free promotional competition and not a gambling service, lottery, or betting activity. No payment or purchase is required to enter or participate. The Athletic will administer the Competition fairly and transparently and in accordance with applicable law. Participants should note that the legal treatment of promotional competitions may vary by jurisdiction. A list of winners may be made available where required by law. Participants may object to publication of their personal information by contacting The Athletic, subject to The Athletic’s legal obligations. If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable under applicable local consumer law, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect. Nothing in these Terms limits any mandatory consumer rights that cannot legally be excluded under applicable law.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for (i) death or personal injury caused by negligence; (ii) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or (iii) any liability that cannot legally be excluded. Subject to the above, The Athletic shall not be liable for (x) indirect or consequential losses; (y) loss of profits, data, goodwill, or opportunity; or (z) technical failures, Competition interruptions, match changes, postponements, cancellations, or other disruptions beyond The Athletic’s reasonable control.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

The Athletic reserves the right to amend, suspend, or terminate the Competition or these Terms where reasonably necessary, including in cases of fraud, abuse, technical failure, legal or regulatory requirements, match changes, operational necessity, or circumstances beyond The Athletic’s reasonable control. Any material amendment will be communicated in a manner reasonably calculated to notify participants. The Athletic’s decisions regarding the administration, scoring, eligibility, and results of the Competition are final and binding, subject to applicable law.

GOVERNING LAW

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of New York, United States, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. If participants reside in the UK, EU, or another jurisdiction with mandatory consumer protection laws, those laws may also apply to the extent required. State and federal courts located in New York, New York shall have exclusive jurisdiction except where applicable law provides otherwise.

ACCEPTANCE OF RULES

By participating in the Competition, participants agree to be bound by these Official Participation Rules & Terms and all decisions made by The Athletic in connection with the Competition. By entering, participants acknowledge that they have read and understood these Terms and agree to comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Philadelphia Eagles opened the first of two joint practices with the New England Patriots on Wednesday. The practices staged the first encounter between the Eagles and now-Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown since June’s trade.

The Athletic’s Zach Berman focused on the offense, while Brooks Kubena focused on the defense.

Eagles secondary faces A.J. Brown

1. Let’s start with A.J. Brown because he was the biggest story. Eagles fans might not like hearing it, but Brown was outstanding in this practice.

He caught seven passes in 7-on-7 drills and team drills in different spots on the field — coming back to the ball, in stride on crossers, over his shoulder. Brown faced both Quinyon Mitchell and Riq Woolen. It seemed most of the plays came when he was on Woolen’s side. He was a force in this practice, as he often was in Eagles practices. The Eagles know as much. But if you were of the view that the Eagles traded a declining player to New England… it didn’t look like that on Wednesday.

2. Brown vs. Mitchell happened on the first play of one-on-ones. It almost seemed coordinated for the fans, with Brown going deep against Mitchell. The Eagles’ All-Pro cornerback recovered to stay with Brown and forced an incompletion, getting his arm between Brown’s hands at the right time.

“Q got away with a little holding,” Brown said with a laugh.  “I won, he pulled himself back into the play, and I just have to finish the play. My right hand didn’t get to the ball quick enough. My left hand got on the ball. That’s on me.  …That could have been a 40-yard bomb, but now it’s a long foul ball. Those are the things I’m focusing on.”

There wasn’t chatter between them during practice, although the two caught up afterward.

“It was a little more amped up just going against him, and knowing the battles we had in Philly,” Mitchell said. “…He’s just a great receiver. He just gives you so many tough battles, tough assignments, stuff like that. It was really just great to go out there and compete with him again today.”

3. The big takeaway in this session: The Patriots offense had a strong passing performance against the Eagles defense. The ball seldom touched the ground. Quarterback Drake Maye was efficient, and the receivers made plays. It wasn’t just Brown — Romeo Doubs made a highlight-reel catch over Woolen and impressed in this session. Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas, and Mack Hollins had catches. It wasn’t a collection of chunk plays, but Maye knew where he was going with the ball and was able to consistently move the offense. This was a needed test for the secondary, which has faced an undermanned receiving corps during training camp.

4. The Eagles, however, outplayed the Patriots at the line of scrimmage and kept Maye under pressure. In a game, when the quarterback isn’t wearing a red jersey, that can affect performance. There was one definite would-be sack (from Jalyx Hunt) and other times when Maye was under duress from Jihaad Campbell and Moro Ojomo.

5. Hunt should be singled out. He had at least one sack and multiple pressures. We’ve written it throughout the summer, and it’s worth repeating: Hunt has been a camp standout, perhaps even the best player on defense during the past few weeks. He’s in line to be a force this season.

One reason why Hunt’s ascension is critical for the Eagles? Jonathan Greenard’s recovery from a pectoral injury is taking longer than expected.

“I don’t know when Greenard will be back,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “That injury he got in our weight room is going to take some time to heal. Yeah, I’m very happy with Nolan (Smith) and Jalyx. (Arnold Ebiketie) is coming along. The other guys are coming along, but we need our third and fourth until Greenard gets back to really solidify their positions.”

6. It wasn’t Woolen’s best day. He had a strong spring, although there have been some inconsistencies this summer. You’re seeing it more when he’s playing off coverage. His high-water mark remains strong — he had an impressive pass breakup in one-on-ones early in practice against Doubs — but there were too many passes caught around him on Wednesday.

First-team offense showcases run game

1. The first-team offense showed the encouraging signs that were lacking for offensive coordinator Sean Mannion’s system in Saturday’s preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens.

Saquon Barkley — who once juked out Patriots defensive tackle Cory Durden in the backfield — consistently found running room within Mannion’s wide zone concepts. On one such play, Barkley burst to the perimeter and broke a long gain along the right sideline.

“You just saw the wide zone take shape,” right tackle Lane Johnson said. “We did a lot of play action. … We had some good gashes. For us, it changes the style of defense up front to where it kind of limits their pass rush. They’re a lot more reading first than just teeing off on the ball.”

The dropback passing game had its drawbacks. In 7-on-7 drills, Jalen Hurts tried throwing to Britain Covey along the left sideline, and Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones jumped it for a pick-six.

And all three of the Eagles’ offensive units stalled in their two-minute drives against the Patriots. Hurts struck Dontayvion Wicks on a short crosser on the final play of their series, but the yardage fell short of field goal range.

2. The Patriots sent plenty of pressure after Hurts, and the quarterback managed it fairly well. Hurts completed a deep pass to Elijah Moore along the left sideline against safety Kevin Byard, although outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones might have altered the play with full-contact permitted.

Hurts also sidestepped defensive tackle Christian Barmore and converted a third-and-10 throw to Hollywood Brown during a two-minute drill. The main highlight arrived earlier in practice, when Hurts felt pressure from the left side, turned, and floated a long gain to Will Shipley, who was wide open on a wheel route along the right sideline.

The wheel route underlined that Mannion’s system includes effective “hot” routes that give Hurts good options when he is blitzed. Those options were lacking in 2023, and former OC Kellen Moore’s arrival in 2024 brought more solutions. Hurts confirmed Shipley’s wheel route was “not a happy accident” and was “definitely a part of the play.”

3. Depth on the Eagles’ offensive line is in increasingly good hands with Willie Lampkin and Markel Bell. Lampkin, who played center with both the second- and third-team units, pancaked Patriots edge rusher Gabe Jacas while pass protecting during team drills. Jacas did not like it. Quarterback Tanner McKee had to step in between them to break the tension. It was yet another example of the 5-foot-11, 290-pound Lampkin overpowering a larger defender.

“I didn’t know if it was Willie or (former edge rusher Brandon Graham) out there. They look the same,” joked Lane Johnson, referencing another undersized player on the stockier side. “He gets under guys. You saw it in one-on-one pass rush today. He’s got excellent leverage. He’s really quick off the ball, getting up to the second level — linebackers. He’s just really good once he gets on guys; they very rarely get off.”

Bell’s 6-foot-9, 345-pound frame is often praised for his footwork. Subbing in for Johnson at times and playing right tackle with the second-team unit, Bell led the way on the wide-zone run Barkley broke down the right sideline. On a screen play, Bell was so quick out to block that there were no defenders around him, and he had to work back inside.

• Second-team OL on Wednesday: LT Myles Hinton, LG Jake Majors, C Lampkin, RG Drew Kendall, RT Bell.
• Third-team OL: LT Hinton, LG Micah Morris, C Lampkin, RG Michael Jordan, RT Cameron Williams.

4. DeVonta Smith remains limited with his hamstring injury. Smith did not participate in one-on-one drills with Patriots defensive backs, nor in team drills. When asked how his hamstring felt, he said, “All right.”

Rookie wide receiver Makai Lemon, who is also managing a hamstring injury, did not suit up. The first-round pick stretched and participated in individual drills.

“Everybody’s different. Everyone heals different,” Smith said. “I don’t know how he feels and things like that. I think he’s trending in the right direction.”

Dontayvion Wicks had a notable practice. He spun Patriots cornerback Charles Woods like a top with a quick inward move during one-on-one drills.

Dontayvion Wicks gets separation on Charles Woods in 1v1s pic.twitter.com/tUCdmggkTI

— Brooks Kubena (@BKubena) August 19, 2026

Wicks also logged three catches during the first-team unit’s two-minute drills. Hollywood Brown rebounded from last week by making a third-and-10 catch in the same drive. Brown also secured a contested catch earlier in practice in coverage with Woods.

5. Andy Dalton showed improvement after his poor start on Saturday. He hit a deep crosser in stride, a sideline throw with touch, and made several short-range throws with zip and accuracy. The 16-year veteran still appears to be the leader in his backup battle with McKee.

Fifth-round rookie Cole Payton threw an interception during the developmental unit’s two-minute drill, the final possession of practice.

WESTFIELD, Ind. — LIV Golf needs its players to bring a deal home. To keep its players, it needs cooperation from the rest of golf.

LIV CEO Scott O’Neil placed a call to action Wednesday for the “guardians and stewards” of men’s professional golf to end longstanding friction and allow his golfers to play on their tours without penalty.

“It’s complete, not compete,” O’Neil said before LIV’s season finale just outside of Indianapolis. “Golf doesn’t need one tour to win and everyone else to lose.”

The public appeal stems from O’Neil’s vision for a “LIV 2.0” built around 10 events, down from the 14 originally planned for 2026 and the 12 it will actually contest. But most competitive golfers expect to play closer to 20 events each season, especially to earn qualification for major championships.

What incited this theme in his news conference Wednesday? Last week, The Athletic reported the DP World Tour — the European tour that many LIV players use to round out their schedules — is threatening to reimpose heavy-handed fines and tournament suspensions as part of its conflicting events rule. It essentially told those considering recommitting to LIV not to expect a free pass to play both tours.

So O’Neil directly called out Stuart Cage, a former DP World Tour golfer who now acts as a player liaison.

“Stuart Cage, apparently he called a bunch of agents of our players and some of our players directly,” O’Neil said. “I don’t know him. I’ve met him once, but I don’t know him. I’m sure he’s a wonderful guy.

“But I’d encourage you to direct those questions to the leadership at the European Tour. It seems counter to where the golf is going, but I can’t answer for them.”

The DP World Tour did not comment on O’Neil’s remarks, but a source briefed on the matter, speaking anonymously because they were not authorized to speak publicly, told The Athletic it was Cage receiving calls from LIV golfers exploring their options. Those calls, according to the source, included both LIV golfers who are already DP World Tour members and others who are not.

Cage advised the players they should not predicate any decision on getting conditional releases for 2027, the source said, although it considers all release requests on a case-by-case basis.

O’Neil specifically said he was not referring to PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp. The PGA Tour has never allowed players to move freely between it and LIV.

So much of O’Neil’s plan after the Public Investment Fund’s announced exit in April has centered around national opens and tapping into global markets in Australia and South Africa, plus a longstanding relationship with the Asian Tour. But in recent months, the PGA Tour has established its own deals with the Australian Open and Asian Tour, and recommitted to expanding its “strategic alliance” with the DP World Tour — deals that have damaged LIV’s viability.

Most global bodies are working together — but excluding LIV Golf.

This all comes at crunch time for LIV and its hopes for a future. O’Neil admitted he is under a “compressed timeline” to get a deal done. While details of any deal remain unclear, multiple sources have told The Athletic the tour’s lead investor is BC Partners head Ted Goldthorpe, who spoke to players Tuesday in a meeting outlining his vision for LIV. O’Neil said the hope is for a lead investor with limited partners coming in behind and players taking on equity.

But O’Neil conceded any deal depends on the current roster committing to LIV 2.0, and multiple players leaving the meeting Tuesday said they still have little idea what their futures hold.

“The entirety of our focus is to get to this transaction and get through it,” O’Neil said. “Without the players, that becomes very difficult. I have a good level of confidence in my conversation that we’ll have a critical mass of the right players to move this league forward.”

From a distance, it appears investors are waiting on a commitment from players, while players are waiting on assurances of investment. It’s a game of chicken, and no one has yet blinked. O’Neil said there is indeed a deadline for player decisions, but he would not elaborate on when that deadline is.

That sets up the importance of peace with other leagues.

“We’re not asking anyone to choose between LIV Golf and the rest of the game,” O’Neil said. “We’re asking something much simpler: Can LIV add something valuable to golf? Think about it. Four years ago, people could reasonably debate it. But today I think the evidence is increasingly more clear.”

Surprisingly, given the current fiscal realities, O’Neil said if those leagues do not allow LIV’s players to play both, then he will need to build more events.

“If you look at some of the feeder tours and what their prize money is, it’s simple enough for us to build events around our events and host them and bring people in,” O’Neil said. “We just want to make sure we have enough events for our players to play a full schedule, and we’re hoping that the ecosystem understands the value and power of inviting some of the most recognizable names in the world of golf into their events, into markets that others might not attend or travel to. It seems very obvious, for sure. You don’t have to look really too much further past the sponsor invites and where they’re going. They’re going to our players. I’m hoping that’s true.

“If that’s not the case, we’ll just build events. Simple as that.”